Antioxidant Principles in Peltophorum Ferrugineum Flower Extracts.

In this study, the ethyl acetate, acetone, and methanol extracts from the petals of the flowers
of Peltophorum ferrugineum were evaluated for their phenolic content, antioxidant activity,
and HPLC profile. The total phenolic contents of the ethyl acetate, acetone, and methanol
extracts, as determined by the Folin-Ciocalteu method, were found to be 17.0 ± 0.8, 29.3 ± 0.4, and 18.6 ± 0.9%, respectively, as gallic acid equivalent. The antioxidant potentials of
the extracts were found to be in the order of acetone > methanol > ethyl acetate as assayed
through three different in vitro assay methods, such as phosphomolybdenum method, α,
α-diphenyl-β-picrylhydrazyl method, and ferricyanide reduction method. HPLC analyses of
the extracts showed the presence of gallic acid and catechin in ethyl acetate extract, ferulic
acid, and catechin in methanol extract. In the present study, the flower of P. ferrigineum
possessed a substantial amount of phenolics with marked antioxidant activity. Phenolics,
such as gallic acid, catechin, and ferulic acid, were the antioxidant principles in the flowers.